Hyundai, Kia announce free software upgrade in effort to end national theft spree

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – It’s against the law pattern that went viral on TikTok and has plagued Hyundai and Kia house owners ever since.

On Tuesday, the car corporations introduced a software program replace that’s supposed to repair the issue.

A Cleveland lady, who wished to stay nameless. stated her Kia was stolen proper out of her driveway and when police lastly discovered her automotive, it was totaled.

This software program replace comes slightly too late for her.

“They broken the entire entrance rim, entire entrance tire, entrance finish was all tousled,” she stated.

She is one among 1000’s simply in Cuyahoga County who’ve fallen sufferer to this crime.

“I’ve two younger kids, slightly boy and slightly lady, that I needed to Uber to and from college the primary couple of days with out a car earlier than I obtained right into a rental automotive,” she defined. “It price me over $1,000 in rental automobiles after I exceeded the quantity of days provided on my insurance coverage coverage. I got here out of pocket for some huge cash for one thing that shouldn’t have occurred.”

These stolen automobiles have been used to commit crimes throughout Northeast Ohio, together with a theft the place three crooks drove a stolen Kia by way of the entrance of Summit Armory and stole dozens of weapons.

In one other case, a Cleveland couple discovered their stolen Kia Sportage flipped on its roof after a police chase that ended with Newburgh Heights police arresting two teenage brothers.

“My first response was my child, like once you see that’s your automotive and then you definitely see the tip results of it laying the wrong way up after which I’m like oh my gosh,” stated Carol Hine.

The prosecutor’s workplace stated greater than 1,000 Kias and Hyundais have been stolen in Cuyahoga County within the final three months, and the NHTSA stated the thefts of those automobiles have led to at the very least eight deaths.

“It’s horrible,” the theft sufferer stated. “It’s not truthful to the households that it’s occurring to.”

In response to the Freeway Loss Information Institute, most 2015-2019 Kias and Hyundais don’t have engine immobilizers.

Usually, the pc chip in a automotive should match the chip in the important thing for the automotive to activate, however the brand new software program would require an precise key within the ignition to show the automotive on. Beforehand, thieves have been utilizing USB cables to show them on.

The software program may also block the car from being began after the doorways have been locked utilizing the important thing fob. The car will must be unlocked earlier than it may be began.

The replace additionally extends the size of the alarm sound from 30 seconds to a full minute, however this theft sufferer isn’t satisfied.

“I don’t see it actually serving to solely as a result of these children are relentless,” she stated. “They’re gonna break into the car anyway and as soon as they work out that they’ll’t steal it or it’s more durable to steal you’re nonetheless left with a damaged window, and also you’re nonetheless left with damages that it’s a must to pay for.”

Greater than 8,000,000 Hyundais and Kias are eligible for this software program improve.

It’s free, automotive house owners simply must take their automotive to a neighborhood dealership. Upgraded automobiles may also get a window decal saying they now have anti-theft know-how, which is able to hopefully be a deterrent to thieves.

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